9 volunteers from the US, Canada and Australia joined us at the build site in Redzyńskie and helped extend the house of Agata and Mirosław. The volunteers came to Poland for one week, from May 13th to May 21st, thanks to Global Village, Habitat’s international volunteering program.
The volunteers’ efforts helped to push forward the project which we started in April 2017 in the little village of Redzyńskie (Central Poland). We are partnering there with Agata and Mirosław and helping them extend their house – so they no longer have to live with their 6 children in just one room and with no access to the bathroom.
You can learn more about the project from its overview: House extension with the family of Agata and Mirosław in Redzyńskie.
ABOUT WORK
During the first day of work, the Global Village volunteers were joined by local volunteers who work at Wienerberger, the company which donated all the bricks for the project. The Wienerberger employees helped as instructors and showed how to install the bricks.
The volunteers managed to complete one entire and important phase of the construction – they erected the external walls of the ground floor. In addition to that, they prepared reinforcements and formworks for the ceilings.
At the end of their stay they celebrated the installation of the last brick of the ground floor.
ABOUT FREE TIME
The volunteers visited Warsaw’s Old Town and got to know the local community in the area where the project takes place. They played two soccer matches in mixed teams including Agata and Mirosław’s children as well as other children living in the village. They also visited a nearby school in Żaków where they talked to the students about Habitat and their home countries. Last but not least, they took a cooking class and learned to make traditional Polish dishes such as pierogis.
TESTIMONIALS
Ted writes that he is grateful to all the people who helped to organize his Global Village trip, especially the team leader Duane and Habitat Poland’s volunteer coordinator Magda:
The Habitat for Humanity Global Village Build was the reason we came to Poland. We added three extra weeks for activities here, but none as rewarding as our Habitat experience. It is gratifying to be able to help a family, exciting to team up with such multitalented volunteers and both an emotional bombshell and a pleasure to interact with this culture. Our deepest appreciation goes to Magda and Duane who planned, organized, and carried out an outstanding itinerary of activities including the build. We return home with new resolve to make a habit of Habitat Global Builds at least once a year as long as we are able. For that inspiration I thank Magdalena Wiech, the best ever link to interaction, entertainment, board, rooms and work.
What better reason to go to Poland! Than to discover the richness of giving AND in Polish people such grace and spirit.
On the other hand, Jessica points out that the participation in the trip was a great way to get to know the country of her ancestors:
I chose the Global Village Trip in Warsaw, Poland where my grandfather originated from to get a firsthand view of what the place and people are like. I thought “what better way to see a country than to serve its people and be part of having a positive impact!” Being an architect I had been looking forward to the making side of a project. It was really exciting to have a tangible outcome within five days, evidenced in the block work we built for the ground floor. With the site being on the family’s farm, it was an honour to have an insight into what life is for them, and even Agata baking daily for us! I was surprised and impacted by the comradery that came from working as a team and the connections that were formed between the family and the volunteers. I would definitely recommend this Global Village trip as it was such a real way to serve this beautiful country.
